ALVARO MORATA believes Eden Hazard is one of the best three players in the world, and feeding off the brilliant Belgian to score goals for Chelsea should be “easy”.

The Spaniard’s superb link-up play with Hazard was the key to Chelsea’s remarkable 2-1 Champions League win at Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, with Morata scoring the crucial equaliser with his seventh goal in seven games.

It was a result that ranks as one of Chelsea’s best in European football, comparable with the epic run to the final when they won the tournament in Munich in 2012 which included a legendary semi-final triumph over Barcelona.

Morata’s typically clever glancing header from Hazard’s lovely cross gave Chelsea the opportunity to win the game in the fourth minute of added time when Michy Batshuayi prodded Marcos Alonso’s cross in from close range.

But it was manager Antonio Conte’s decision to play Hazard, starting only his second game of the season after breaking an ankle in the summer, in a free role just behind Morata that unhinged Atletico.

The pair were clearly on the same wavelength from the start, and Morata said: “It’s not difficult playing with this kind of player. Eden is one of the three best players in the world. It’s easy for me playing with him.”

It’s easy for me playing with him

Chelsea star Alvaro Morata

Chelsea are hoping to begin talks with Hazard soon over a new £300,000-a-week deal, with the Belgian in no hurry to move despite Real Madrid’s constant overtures.

Performances like that on Wednesday, when they dominated a team that had never previously lost at home to English opposition in UEFA competitions, will only make those talks more simple.

Morata, signed from Atletico’s arch-rivals Real for £65m in the summer, added: “It was a very important test for us as a team. It’s not easy to win at Atletico Madrid.

“This shows we are ready to fight, that we’re a very good team. We did a good job.

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Eden Hazard was in fine form in his first major start of the season

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Antonio Conte's Chelsea beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 in their new home ground the Wanda Metropolitano

“Always we go the same way – always ready to fight, always moving the ball very fast when we have possession.

“Sometimes you don’t deserve to go behind. Atletico scored first, but we kept fighting. It’s not easy to win when Atletico score.

“It was very important for us because we saw our level against all the other European teams. Atletico are always fighting for the title. We’ll take the three points.”

Morata’s start in English football has been remarkable, with his hat-trick at Stoke on Saturday proving that not only is he excellent in the air, but also on the ground. He is adapting fast to the physicality of the English game – although he cannot get out of his mind his penalty shoot-out miss against Arsenal in the Community Shield game at Wembley.

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Diego Costa looked devastated as Chelsea scored a late winner against Atletico

“I made a mistake and I suffered for a few days,” he said. “But I grow up, I use my character, and now things are okay.

“It’s always a difficult challenge coming to English football. It’s the most competitive league in the world. Very physical. It’s the league with the most teams who can win the title. Strong teams.”

Pedro and Willian, both on the bench on Wednesday, are likely to start against Manchester City, but Conte has relatively few options if he wants to shuffle his pack, with his squad getting back at 4am yesterday morning.

Antonio Rudiger or Andreas Christensen could come into the defence, with David Luiz still banned.